Czech Republic Travel Guide

The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is smack in the heart of Central Europe, surrounded by Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland. We lived here for over three years and adored its capital, Prague. This city is famous for its medieval Old Town, the iconic Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and its status as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Explore beyond Prague and you’ll discover charming towns, historic castles, and stunning natural landscapes, including 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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Where is the Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country located in the heart of Central Europe. It shares borders with Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria. Despite its relatively small size, it has excellent connections to major cities in the region.

Vienna is just 4.5 hours away by train, Berlin and Budapest are 4-5 hours away, and Dresden is just 2.5 hours away. This makes it a great starting point for exploring other parts of Europe!

Best things to do in Prague

Prague

There are few sights as beautiful as the skyline of Prague, its profusion of spires, towers and domes largely unchanged in over 400 years. Everywhere you look there is amazing architecture, spanning 800 years from Gothic to Art Nouveau.  Old Town Square Prague is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe surrounding by atmospheric back streets to explore.

• A Guide to Old Town Prague
• Amazing Prague streets you need to see
• 20 of the most beautiful churches in Prague
• 10 Best towers to climb for amazing views of Prague

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Day Trips from Prague

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Below you will find information on some of the best places you can visit in the Czech Republic that are close to Prague. Český Krumlov is the best-known, but a 3-hour by public transport. We recommend staying overnight but if time doesn’t allow then we recommend you go on a tour. Kutná Hora, Mělník, Konopiště and Karlštejn can all be visited by public transport.

Kutná Hora

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The silver mining town of Kutná Hora is one of the most magical places to visit in the Czech Republic. It is perhaps best-known for the extraordinary Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with tens of thousands of human bones.

Yet many more treasures await, including one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, and a fascinating historic town on the UNESCO World Heritage list.   It’s a popular destination for day trips from Prague, but deserves more time if you have it.   

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Telč

The centre of this small Czech town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the highlight of which is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, its exquisite houses straight out of a fairytale. 

The houses date from the 16^th century, and their facades are decorated in different colours. Telč is one of the most beautiful small towns we have been to in Europe.

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Mikulov

Mikulov is a magnificent historic town located immediately north of the border with Austria.  It makes a great base for exploring the South Moravia wine region around the town, and the nearby Lednice-Valtice UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

As well as the fine historic sites there are plenty of wine cellars and bars around the town where you can linger long over a glass of the new season’s wine as the sun sets.  One of the most beautiful places to visit in the Czech Republic.

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Lednice Castle

Lednice Castle is one of the most lavish chateaux in Central Europe, home to the staggeringly wealthy Liechtenstein dynasty for centuries.

It is one of the grandest castles in the Czech Republic, located in the gorgeous South Moravian countryside near the border with Austria.

Along with nearby Valtice Castle, it comprises the stunning Lednice-Valtice Landscape World Heritage Site, one of seventeen UNESCO sites in the Czech Republic.

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Holašovice

Holašovice is one of the loveliest – and least-frequented – World Heritage Sites you’re ever likely to visit. It’s also one of the smallest, a tiny Czech village with 23 farmhouses gathered around a central green, the only one of its kind preserved for posterity. 

Holašovice is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe, a trip 200 years back in time to rural Bohemia and one of the Czech Republic’s less-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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Hluboká Castle

Hluboka Castle is one of the most lavish Romantic 19^th-century European castles, inspired by both Windsor Castle and a white wedding cake.

It was built purely as a luxury residence, and it’s one of the most popular – and beautiful – castles in the Czech Republic.

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Brno

Brno, the capital of the region of Moravia, is the second largest city in the Czech Republic. It’s one of the hidden gems of Europe, its architecture varying from Gothic to Baroque, and more recently Art Nouveau to Functionalist. It’s home to the amazing Villa Tugendhat, one of the country’s 17 World Heritage Sites.

Brno also has a huge student population, which gives the city a fantastic cultural and cafe scene.

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How to get to the Czech Republic

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Vaclav Havel Airport Prague is the largest and busiest airport in the Czech Republic, serving millions of passengers every year. The airport has connections to major international destinations, including flights to North America, Asia, and the Middle East.

It’s also a hub for flights within Europe, with airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air offering low-cost options for travel to various European destinations. The airport is located just 10 kilometers from the city center, and it’s really easy to get into the centre of Prague.

There are regular buses from the airport to the centre of Prague and it’s a quick taxi ride. You can also pre-book a transfer.

The Czech Republic, particularly its capital Prague, serves as a strategic hub for rail and road travel in Central Europe, connecting it easily to many of the most popular cities to visit in Central Europe including. Prague main train station is in the centre (New Town) a short walk from Wenceslas Square. 

• Berlin (Germany): A direct train from Prague can take you to Berlin in about 4 to 4.5 hours.
• Dresden (Germany): A direct 2.5 hour train will take you to Dresden one of the most beautiful cities in Germany
• Vienna (Austria): Direct trains often complete the journey in around 4.5 hours.
• Munich (Germany): If you’re headed to Munich, the train journey can be as short as 6 hours.
• Budapest (Hungary): Direct trains from Prague reach Budapest in approximately 6.5 to 7 hours.
• Krakow (Poland): Traveling to Krakow can take around 7 hours by train. You can also take an easy, direct night-train from Prague to Krakow.
• Bratislava (Slovakia): The Slovak capital is quite close, and you can reach Bratislava in about 4 hours by train from Prague.

• Population: 10.7 million
• Area: 78,866 sq km
• Language: Czech
• Currency: Czech koruna (abbreviated to CZK or Kč)
• Capital: Prague (population: 1.4 million)
• International phone code: +420